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Makinde tasks residents to cooperate with security agencies
Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has appealed to residents of the state to always cooperate with the security agencies and to also keep them informed of any suspicious act.
The governor stated this on Monday at the grand finale of the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, held at the Remembrance Arcade, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde, while addressing journalists at the end of the event, expressed appreciation to the officers and men of the Armed Forces for their dedication and for keeping the state and the country safe.
He promised that his administration would continue to support the widows, orphans and other dependents of the fallen heroes.
The governor, who performed the traditional wreath-laying during the celebration, equally assured the people of the state of maximum safety of lives and properties.
He said: “I want to use this opportunity to thank our service commanders, the officers and men of the Armed Forces in Oyo State, for their dedication and for keeping us safe. We are eternally grateful to them.”
“For the people our fallen heroes left behind, we will continue to give them support and make life bearable for them.”
Governor Makinde also used the opportunity to give the people of Oyo State the assurance that the security agencies will continue to keep Oyo State safe.
He said, “Please cooperate with our service commanders. If you see something, say something.”
The Chairman, Nigerian Legion, Oyo State Command, Deputy Commandant General Julius Ogunkojo, appreciated Governor Makinde for his generous donation and support in the course of the celebration.
He implored the government, individuals and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of Legion members, stressing that their monthly allowances are not encouraging due to the economic situation of the country.
The ceremony witnessed the laying of wreaths at the remembrance cenotaph by Governor Makinde, the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin; the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima; and the representative of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Mohood ‘Lekan Balogun.
Others were the Garrison Commander, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Muazu; the Commander, Nigeria Air Force Station, Ibadan, Air Commodore A.G. Akinyimika; the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command, Adebola Hamzat and a representative of the widows of the fallen heroes.
The occasion also witnessed the 21-gun salute in honour of the fallen heroes and the release of ceremonial pigeons by the governor, which signifies peace.
The event had in attendance the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Olanike Adeyemo and the Head of Service, Mrs Olubunmi Oni (mni), among other top government functionaries as well as the Legionnaires.
News
Stop using repressive laws to intimidate journalists – SERAP, NGE tell FG
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, have called on Nigerian authorities at all levels of government to stop using repressive and anti-media laws to target, intimidate and harass journalists, critics and media houses.
The groups made the demand after an interactive session on ‘the state of press freedom in Nigeria’ held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.
In a joint statement, SERAP and NGE said that, “the government of President Bola Tinubu, the country’s 36 governors and FCT minister must now genuinely uphold press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law”.
They expressed concerns about the escalating crackdown on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom and the flagrant disregard for the rule of law by authorities at all levels of government.
The groups note that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms ranging from extrajudicial to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement.
The statement read in part: “We would continue to speak truth to power and to hold authorities to account for their constitutional and international obligations including on freedom of expression and media freedom.
“Nigeria as a country has a long and unpleasant history of press gagging and clampdown on media freedom, which is evidence of extensive state censorship of media and in some cases, the utter control of state-owned media houses.
“This position has not changed considerably despite almost 25 years of unbroken democratic rule in the Fourth Republic.”
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FG adds 625MW to national grid – Minister
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Tax: Court orders FCT-IRS agency to seal off defaulting coys
A Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to seal off a company, Ifedi A.K. Nigeria Ltd, over allegations bordering on non-filing of annual returns.
The Magistrate, Janada Balami, gave the order after lawyer to FCT-IRS, Michael Towolawi, moved the application to the effect.
Towolawi told the court that the company had failed to file its annual returns from 2019 to 2023 in breach of Section 81 of the Personal Income Tax Act, LFN, 2004, and amended in 2011.
He said all efforts to make the company comply with the law proved abortive.
The lawyer, therefore, applied that the company be compel to appear before the court to explain why it acted in breach of the law.
Balami, who held that the application by the agency against the company had merit, accordingly granted same to seal the No 6, Rudolph Close, Off Katsina-Ala Street, Maitama, Abuja.
She, consequently, ordered the company, the sole defendant in the matter, to appear before the court on May 16.
The Director, Legal Services of the FCT-IRS, Festus Tsavar, told journalists after the proceeding that the service would move against companies that do not file their annual returns as provided by law.
“You know that we have a new minister in FCT that is doing a lot of projects and that hinges on money.
“And of course, you are aware that FCT has come out of TSA.
“So it is the internally generated revenue that will make the government of FCT to be able to do those projects completely within required time,” he said.
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